Live from Shenzhen, China

Tomorrow I am headed to Shenzhen, China, which is just north of Hong Kong. Actually, the trip there will last two days, what with the long flight and the time change. I will be attending the China International Medical Equipment Fair (CMEF) and the International Component Manufacturing & Design (ICMD) show to be held from April 18 – 21. Needless to say, I am very excited. I have been wanting to go to China for a long time – it seems so much is going on over there and I would like to be in the midst of it all.

A quick Google search on the city has informed that its economy produces agriculture from lychees, to bananas, to sisal hemp. Animal products include seahorses, oysters, and abalone. Industry includes electric power generation, electronics, food processing, garments, household appliances, metallurgy, plastics, and textiles. Mineral resources include coal, iron, germanium, kaolin clay, peat, pyrite, quartz, and tellurium.

Shenzhen is one of three Special Economic Zones in Guangdong province. According to Wikipedia, "A Special Economic Zone (SEZ) is a geographical region that has economic laws that are more liberal than a country's typical economic laws. The category 'SEZ' covers a broad range of more specific zone types, including Free Trade Zones (FTZ), Export Processing Zones (EPZ), Free Zones (FZ), Industrial Estates (IE), Free Ports, Urban Enterprise Zones and others. Usually the goal of an SEZ structure is to increase foreign investment. The SEZ was created to be an experimental ground of capitalism in 'socialism with Chinese characteristics'".

Once a fishing village, Shenzhen became the first SEZ in China. The SEZ was established in 1979 because of its proximity to Hong Kong, then a prosperous British colony.